Govt publishes gazette on highest Qawmi madrasa degree recognition

Following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's announcement, the government has issued an order recognising a top Qawmi madrasa degree as equivalent to post-graduate degrees.

The education ministry, in the order issued on Thursday night, noted that the Dawrah-e-Hadith certificate, which the Qawmi madrasas confers on pupils with the fundamentals of Darul Uloom Deoband as the basis, has been accorded the status of Masters degree (Islamic Studies and Arabic).

The prime minister made the announcement during a meeting with Qawmi madrasa representatives at Ganabhaban on Tuesday.

“With this recognition, a large number of madrasa students will now choose the right path and be able to apply for government jobs. Since their degree had not been recognised, they were deprived of many opportunities,” she said.

Qawmi Madrasa Education Law Review Committee Maulana Fariduddin Masud and Chairman of Qawmi Madrasa Board Shah Ahmed Shafi were present.

The government move comes against the background of a demand from certain quarters for doing away with Qawmi madrasa education in Bangladesh as such education is considered to be a breeding ground for terrorism.

Protests from groups believing in secular education greeted the prime minister's announcement.

The Bangladesh Chhatra Union said the recognition of the Qawmi madrasa degree would create an 'atmosphere conducive to terrorism and intensify the communal darkness'.

Qawmi madrasa education has been part of the education system in this region since the British period. Currently, some 1.4 million students study in 14,000 Qawmi madrasas in the country.

Committee formed

The government has also formed a committee headed by Shah Ahmed Shafi to give the Dawrah-e-Hadith degree the status of Masters degree, 'retaining confidence' in the standard realisation committee formed by the Qawmi madrasa boards.

According to the gazette, the committee will be the highest authority in taking decisions on all activities relating to the Qawmi madrasa certificate.

"The Dawrah-e-Hadith certificates issued by the madrasas registered by the committee will be considered equivalent to Masters degree," the gazette said.

The committee will also supervise the Dawrah-e-Hadith certificate examinations.

It will be able to form one or more subcommittees to prepare a syllabus and the same question papers, determine the exam system and time, evaluate answer sheets, publish results and prepare certificates.

The committee will have to inform the education ministry about its activities, the order said, and added, "It will be above all sorts of party politics."

The committee chairman can appoint fewer than 15 members.